brief petrol smell on start up

[ProfGlenn]

Hi.  Hope to get some advice.  I have had to take my 2010 1.8 Auris Hybrid to the office daily for some weeks now (normally it is at home).  It had a service in December including an aircon recharge and a weld to an exhaust bracket.  Some days when I leave the office and first get in and start the car there is a blast of petrol smell which goes immediately.  It’s so odd. Seems to me there aren’t many possibilities (?), given that the smell goes straightaway and there is no petrol smell in the boot or by the fuel cap:

 

The air con recharge at Christmas

The exhaust weld at Christmas

Something (e.g a rodent) has been eating a fuel pipe (but this would leave a constant or intermittent smell, and not just on start up).....there are a lot of rats at work but they aren't often seen in the day!

Where the car is parked is where we get a few deliveries / disabled minibus pickup etc and perhaps other vans’ petrol fumes are "sitting" in my car and venting off on first start up.

A small oil leak burning off (smells like petrol, not oil).

 

I haven’t experienced this at home.  Only at the end of the day at work.  I am not even sure the engine is running when the smell first appears.  I suspect I start the car, it is in hybrid mode, the vent fan is on low (from the previous drive) and i drive off and the smell blasts before the engine kicks in.  i will monitor this more closely.  

 

Any ideas please?  I’m not really sure what to do.

 

Thanks / best

Glenn

[Cyker]

Are you sure it isn't normal? My Yaris is quite petrolly when it starts up some mornings, and it's super noticeable if I'm reversing into the exhaust or if the wind is blowing from the back. I always assumed it was the auto-choke or whatever cars use these days, but TBH I've only driven diesels until I got this hybrid so I don't know how normal it is for more modern petrol cars...!

[Bper]

Hi Glenn,try parking elsewhere to see if It makes any difference as you do not get this problem at home it may relate to where you are parking.

I would do this first then its possible to look at other potential issues.